Rahul Gandhi denied permission to visit violence-hit Lakhimpur

New Delhi : The Uttar Pradesh government has denied permission to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to visit violence-hit Lakhimpur Kheri district, where 8 people died after clashes. Earlier, his sister Priyanka Gandhi was stopped and detained in Sitapur as she attempted to go and meet the family of killed farmers.

In a letter written to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, the Congress had said a five-member delegation led by Rahul Gandhi planned to visit the district. It also called the detention of Priyanka Gandhi Vadra "without any reason or justification".

According to a report by ANI, the permission was denied soon after citing orders banning large gatherings. 

Meanwhile, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has alleged that she is being held illegally at a police compound in Sitapur. No notice of FIR has been provided to her even after 38 hours of detention. She also said that she has been barred from meeting her legal counsel.

"Presently I am not going into the details of the completely illegal physical force used on my colleagues and me at the time of my arrest as this statement serves merely to clarify the continuing illegality of my confinement at the PAC compound in Sitapur, UP," she said.

"I have not been served with any order or notice. Nor have they shown me an FIR. I have not been produced in front of a magistrate or any other judicial officer either. I have also not been allowed to meet my legal counsel who has been standing at the gate since morning," the Congress leader also said.

Priyanka Gandhi was detained on Monday morning as she tried to reach Lakhimpur to meet the family of deceased farmers.

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